May 2008
Hook Peninsula - "The Festival by the Sea".
A Celebration in Rural Ireland of Traditional Arts, Culture and Music is being held at various locations on the Hook Peninsular including Kilmokea Country Manor, Duncannon Fort, Hook Lighthouse Vistor Centre, Duncormack, Dunbrody Abbey, Tintern Abbey and Fethard-on-Sea

Friday 2nd May 2008 at 6.30 pm
Official opening by local politician Sean Connick TD of the Hook Peninsula "The Festival by the sea " commences with an art exhibition at Kilmokea Country Manor.
Exhibition of visual art.
Margaret Kent from New Ross uses oils and watercolour to provide an amazing array of paintings of Ireland that include landscapes and still art as well as horses. She was a prize-winner in the Schoellershammer London Graphic Art Competition 2001 and has a Drawing & Painting Diploma (Distinction) from the London Art College. She exhibits widely around Ireland including the Kilkenny Arts Festival and the Wexford Festival Opera.

Marley Irish from Slieverue, Co. Kilkenny is well known for her people painting that captures their performance at the ballet, opera and festivals as well as the race track. She is an active committee member of the Waterford Art Group and has been Arts Co-ordinator for Ormonde College during the Kilkenny Arts Festival. She exhibits throughout Ireland as well as overseas.

Desmond Kirwan New Ross is affectionately known as "a gardener who paints and a painter who gardens". He is renowned for his scenes of Irish gardens that often include hidden elements that are a pleasure to view and include a mix of the old and the new.

Saturday 3rd May 2008 10 am to 6 pm
A working exhibition by embroiderers and stitchers who will be at Kilmokea for the day
Working Exhibition of Embroidery Group
Madra Dubh Embroidery Group has been running in Ballinaboola for nearly 10 years. People of all ages come either Monday evening or Wednesday morning to learn something different or to bring their own work and share in the caring friendly atmosphere of 2hrs relaxation.

Currently there are 18 people in the two groups and there is always room for more to share in the traditions of past centuries of embroidery. Brazilian; Blackwork; Bargello; Crewel work; Cross-stitch; Stumpwork; Ribbon embroidery to name just a few.

The Group will be running a working exhibition and in addition to their stitching will also display cards, chocolates, felt work, and silk paper that they also make.